Chicken & Broccoli Braid

*My mother got this recipe from a Pampered Chef party years ago. I loved it, the crust is so soft and flaky with the use of the crescent roll dough. Very easy to put together... but looks fancy :) *

2c. cooked chicken, chopped

1c. broccoli, chopped

1/2c. red bell pepper, chopped

1 garlic clove, pressed

4oz. (1c.) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2c. mayonnaise

2 tsp. all-purpose dill mix

1/4 tsp. salt

2 pkg. (8oz. each) refrigerated crescent rolls

1 egg white, lightly beaten

2 TBL. slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 375deg. Chop chicken and broccoli, place in a medium bowl. Chop bell pepper. Press garlic over vegetable mixture. Shred cheese and add to vegetable mixture; mix gently. Add mayonnaise, dill mix, and salt, mix well. Unroll 1pkg. of crescent dough; do not separate. Arrange longest sides of dough across width of 12 x 15 baking stone, pizza pan, or baking dish. Repeat with remaining pkg. of crescent dough. Roll dough to seal perforations. On longest sides of dough, cut dough into strips 1-1/2 in. apart, three inches deep, using a pizza cutter. (there will be six inches in the center for filling) Spread filling evenly over middle of dough. To braid, lift strips of dough across mixture to meet in center, twisting each strip one turn. Continue alternating strips to form a braid. Tuck ends under to seal at end of braid. Brush dough with egg white. (and top with almonds opt.) Bake 25-28 min. or until deep golden brown. Cut with serrated knife.

*The use of crescent dough is so versatile, I am going to try to make a breakfast braid with sausage gravy, eggs, bacon... whatever! *